


the case for drinking tea from a mug

by slotumn



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Universe, Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/M, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Fluffcember, Fluffcember 2020, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28073373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slotumn/pseuds/slotumn
Summary: Lysiclaude Fluffcember drabbles.Day 1: Tea, sugar, mug cups.Day 2: Got one problem wrong.Day 3: Side effect of dodging arrows.Day 4: "Anything for your forgiveness."Day 5: Together again.Day 6: On a day's beginning and end.Day 7: How far?Day 8: Artist's rendition of the legend.Day 9: Little signs of getting better.Day 10: Special types of dreams.Day 11: A watery common weakness.Day 12: The universal language.Day 13: Separate stomach for desserts.Day 14: Braiding hair.Day 15: Just a formality.Day 16: Something practical, pretty, and unexpected.Day 17: Aerial cartwheels!Day 18: "No staying up late to scheme, okay?"Day 19: Training for victory.Day 20: A mildly inconvenient secret?Day 21: Making chores less boring.Day 22: Nostalgic flights.Day 23: A perfect moment, and then some.Day 24: Boring, formal letters.Day 25: Not like those ballroom dances.Day 26: "You can keep it."Day 27: Tea and camping.Day 28: Three tears.Day 29: In a land far, far away...Day 30: Vows made to last.Day 31: "Do I know you?"
Relationships: Lysithea von Ordelia/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22
Collections: Slotumn Portfolio





	1. the case for drinking tea from a mug

**Author's Note:**

> Fluffcember, eh? I'll use this as pre-emptive makeup for all the angst I'll write for these two!
> 
> If you're 18+ and interested in spicier content for these two, check out the [Lysiclaude NSFW Bingo](https://twitter.com/lysiclaudensfw?s=09)!  
>   
> [Join the Lysiclaude Discord!](https://discord.gg/GZmtGbw) (Adults only for ease of moderation, please note.)  
>   
> Feel free to leave prompts/suggestions on my [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.qa/slotumn)!  
>   
> [My twitter](https://twitter.com/slotumn?s=09)  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: Sharing a drink

"What are you drinking?"

"Apple tea," Lysithea replied, not looking up as she sipped from the large mug. 

A certain purple-haired friend of theirs would've been horrified, if he'd learned of this, but the weather was getting cold and refilling a tiny teacup was such a hassle. 

As soon as she set the cup down on the table, a larger hand lifted it right back up.

"That's a lot of sugar," Khalid commented, then pointed at the rim of the mug, grinning. "Oh, also, indirect kiss."

Lysithea made sure to roll her eyes at him before giving a direct kiss.


	2. 9/10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: Reassurances

"You just need some sleep," Claude said, patting a small shoulder. 

Lysithea glared at him. "Do you think that's the solution for everything?"

He sighed. "Lys, it was _one_ problem."

"One _easy_ problem! And I got it wrong because I made a basic calculation error!"

"Hey, we all make stupid mistakes. But this isn't a huge deal in the bigger scheme of things, I promise."

Lysithea continued to pout, now looking more like she didn't want to admit he was right than genuinely upset. 

"...Even you?"

He couldn't help chuckling. 

"Even me," he said. "For example, this one time, I..."


	3. how to avoid becoming a skewer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Hand-holding

"Watch out!"

Claude grabbed her hand and dragged her out of several arrows' paths. 

It happened too quickly for her to process, her survival instincts on the forefront rather than her usual hyper-conscious, hyper-analytical self; so Lysithea gripped his hand back just as tightly while they dodged and ran to a safer position. 

"Can't wait to take that wyvern rider exam," Claude muttered, once they were some distances away. "Being stuck on the ground _sucks_. But anyway, are you alright?"

It was only then that Lysithea noticed. 

"I am."

For some reason, she couldn't ask him to let her go. 


	4. think before you speak (or not)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: First kiss

"Okay, I swear I didn't step on your foot on purpose back there. Pinky promise."

Lysithea sat on the bench, grumbling as she kicked off the (perhaps excessively) high heels. 

It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying the ball; she very much was, especially with all the delicious sweets at the snack table. Everything was going perfectly, up until the point Claude half-jokingly dragged her onto the dancefloor. 

Long story short, Lysithea wasn't very coordinated in heels, and Claude was dismal at ballroom dancing. 

"I'll do anything for your forgiveness, princess, so—"

"Kiss me," she blurted out, without thinking. 

He did. 


	5. magnets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Reunited

It was overwhelming to be with her again. 

A part of him kept wondering if this was real and thought that he'd wake up alone at any moment, back in a royal bedchamber too large for one person or in some faraway land surrounded by languages he didn't understand, but every time he felt those pangs of fear, she was right there, kissing him back to reality.

"I still can't believe it, either," she told him, lips on his forehead, eyelids, cheeks, lips. "Goodness— I'm alive, Khalid."

"You are," was all he could repeat back, hugging her close. "You are."


	6. when the sky turns pink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Sunset/sunrise

If he had to pick, he would say that he preferred sunrises to sunsets. 

New sun, new start, new opportunities. If something went wrong yesterday, he could try again when the dawn came. 

Not to say that he didn't appreciate sunsets— but the end of a day was rarely as exciting as its beginning.

Tonight, though. 

"Don't tell me— you want to sleep together because you're scared of the monsters under your bed?" Claude teased. 

"Ugh, think whatever you want," Lysithea huffed, pulling a blanket over them. "Just wake me up by sunrise."

Tonight, he decided he liked both equally. 


	7. take the long way home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: A journey

"How far from Garreg Mach do you think we are?" Lysithea asked, looking for the guiding stars in the sky. 

Next to her, Khalid lifted a compass up to the waning crescent moon. 

"Pretty far," he said. "Or maybe not that far at all, if that thing Hapi said about how we live on a big round rock is true. Maybe the next shore we'll see after this is one we know."

"Interesting hypothesis."

Khalid turned to grin at her. "Yep. And there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" 

Lysithea smiled back, already looking forward to tomorrow's journey.


	8. the kind of stuff that makes legends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 8: Artwork

"This— this is _embarassing_!"

Khalid tsked. "Hey now, our friend poured his heart and soul into painting this."

"Yes, Ignatz is the greatest painter of our era, and this," Lysithea pointed at the mural in front of them, "being displayed in a gallery for thousands to see is— embarassing!"

"What can I say, people adore a dramatic love story, and ours is about as dramatic as it gets. Ignatz certainly did that aspect of it justice. That being said..."

Khalid dropped a quick kiss on his wife's cheek.

"...the real Lysithea is way cuter than the one in the paintings."


	9. lung capacity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 9: Recovery

Lysithea first knew it wasn't just her imagination when she could hug him tightly enough to make his breath hitch— not a lot, just a little, but that was enough. 

Then, when they interwined their fingers together, she could squeeze hers tight enough that it hurt. 

Then she could pick up a sword again, and even though she took into account that he went easy on her when they sparred, it still didn't tire her out as much as it used to.

Most importantly—

"Khalid."

"Yes?"

—she could kiss him longer, as an "I love you" instead of a "goodbye."


	10. auspicious dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 10: Dreams

"You know," Khalid began, "I hear the people in this area believe that mothers-to-be have dreams signalling the conception of their child."

Lysithea raised an eyebrow. "How do they know it's different from other types of dreams?" 

"They say there are certain common motifs, like fruits or gems or animals," he shrugged. "Or that they can just tell, as it always is with these things."

Pause. A contemplating expression.

"...Mothers-to-be, you say?" she repeated back.

"Or someone close to her."

Lysithea leaned her head on his shoulder. 

"Well, then, I suppose we should make an appointment with the doctor soon."


	11. pot and kettle in water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 11: Swimming

"You grew up by water and you can't—"

Lysithea cut Claude off by slapping her hand over his mouth. 

"I didn't exactly have the leisure to splash around in the Airmid River as a child, okay?!" 

His grin didn't fade. "So you're telling me that you can't go into water deeper than your height—"

"If you're so good at swimming," Lysithea's hand glowed as she prepared the Warp spell, "by all means, demonstrate!"

Several moments later, a soaked Claude sat at the shore, coughing. 

"...Look, back where I grew up, they didn't have large bodies of water—"

"Oh, be quiet."


	12. aftermelody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 12: Music

"Feel the flowing water of life..."

When he was young, there was a group of mystics who were sometimes invited to perform at the palace's celebrations.

They spoke of finding God within, of embracing the divine presence— which did not understand back then, and perhaps, never would. 

"...two, but one in soul..."

But their lyrics and melodies— those stayed with him, long after the feasts were over. 

"What song is that?" came Lysithea's voice. 

"A love song," he simply replied.

A second hum joined him as he sang,

"...in one form upon this earth, another in a timeless sweet land."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics to the song are words of the poem A Moment of Happiness by Rumi. I headcanon that the predominant religion in Almyra would be fantasy Zoroastrianism, which Claude is culturally familiar with even though he's not religious, but Almyra seems to be a big country, so maybe there's the equivalent of Islam (including Sufism) there, too.


	13. adaptive appetite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 13: Dessert

"I'm full," Lysithea sighed, putting her fork down. "You can have the rest."

She should've known better than to say that, because several minutes later, Claude "exact words" von Riegan came back with two bowls of custard and put neither in front of her. 

"Are you going to have both?" she asked, too prideful retract the previous statement.

"You said I could," he shrugged. "Unless you're one of those people who have a separate stomach for desserts?"

"...I am, yes."

Claude laughed, pushing both bowls towards her. 

" _My_ dessert stomach isn't particularly hungry, so have as much as you'd like."


	14. symbol of a warrior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 14: Hair brushing/styling

He didn't know all that much about styling hair, aside from braids. 

"Careful."

Not that Lysithea's hair strands— dry, frizzy, and brittle— looked like they could handle the fancy styles. 

_I don't like my hair,_ she'd once said.

Claude tried not to think too hard about what it meant for her to let him do this, despite that. 

"Hold still."

A minute later, he took his hand away, letting the finished work fall over her shoulders.

"What do you think?"

Her fingers toyed with his headband, tied in a bow at the end of the pale plait.

"...I like it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idea on Lysithea's hair actually being damaged as a result of experiments/poor health by ravenmist4, I really liked that explanation for it haha


	15. second time's the charm?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 15: A fancy party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connects with the day 4 piece.

Lysithea was _not_ attending the ball to impress a certain Duke Riegan. 

She was there out of formality, and if she could win some favors for her parents along the way, she wouldn't refuse.

But trying to impress him, specifically?

Ridiculous. 

"Why, Miss Ordelia," Claude said, extending a hand. "Don't need heels anymore, huh?"

Not that he would have been anything besides his usual self, even if she tried.

"Of course," Lysithea replied, taking his hand. "Since it would be a shame, if someone were to step on it."

They made their way to the dancefloor, barely holding back laughter.


	16. starry navigator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 16: Gift-giving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally caught up on the prompts. Hell yeah.

He'd already included all kinds of sweets available: hard candies, jellies, chocolates, caramels, and more.

But that wasn't _enough_ , because it was the obvious choice. What good would his title as the Master Tactician be, if he was content with that?

So Claude mulled for days to find something suitable— something practical, yet not already in her possession, and preferably, pretty. 

"An astrolabe," he explained, as Lysithea took it out of the pouch. "No matter when or where you are, you can use it to—"

 _Find your way back to me,_ he'd tried to say, but her kiss was quicker.


	17. the best joyride in all of fódlan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 17: Horseback riding (or wyvern/pegasus/etc)

Lysithea's short time as valkyrie did _not_ prepare her for what a wyvern ride with Claude would be like.

"S-s-slow, down!!" she yelled, gripping the reins as the wyvern did a goddessdamned cartwheel mid-air. "Claude!! Claude von Riegan!!! Are you even _listening?!?!_ "

"No worries, Lys, I'm right here!" Claude shouted back, one arm tight around her waist. "And you know how inertia works, right? We're perfectly safe!" 

"That— doesn't—"

The wyvern did another cartwheel, sideways this time.

"— _HELP!!_ CONSIDER YOURSELF DEAD, ONCE THIS IS DONE!!!"

"Love you, too!!"

Laughters and yells mixed as they shot forward, swift, heart-pounding, and _alive_.


	18. late sleepers and early risers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 18: Bed sharing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connects with day 6 piece.

The only thing more astounding than the fact she was about to sleep on the same bed with Claude was the fact that they had already done this once, five years ago. 

"Sorry that the room's a mess," Claude yawned, stretching his arms. "Been busy."

The difference being, back then, it was in her room— and that her heart didn't pound so hard that it almost drowned out his words. 

"We have to wake up early tomorrow," Lysithea muttered, underneath the saffron-scented sheets, "so no staying up late to scheme, okay?"

He slid in next to her.

"Wasn't planning to."


	19. an apprenticedhip in underhandedness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 19: Practice/preparation

Lysithea inhaled, raising the training sword.

"Again."

Across from her, Claude sighed. 

"Sheesh, you're going to tire yourself out before the tournament even begins, at this rate."

Lysithea huffed. "I know my limits and how to stay within them, thank you very much."

"If you say so," he shrugged, getting into stance. "But didn't you once say that you avoided close combat because it's 'not your area of expertise?'"

"...I did," she admitted. "But now that I've been chosen—"

Electricity crackled up her blade,

"—I intend to _win_ , using every trick at my disposal."

Claude grinned. 

"Now _that's_ the spirit."


	20. prawny little inconveniences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 20: Secrets

As far as secrets went, this was probably one of the less dire ones. 

"Lysithea!! Pills!!!!"

Still, best to not publicly expose any weaknesses, no matter how small.

"Oh, for saints' sakes," Lysithea grumbled, taking out the bottle she always carried, "if they offer you shrimp cocktails, just don't eat it!"

"Yeah, but—" Claude gulped the pills down with water, "—I wasn't allergic to them before. Maybe I'll become immune again, if I control the dose?"

Lysithea smacked him on the back, hard.

"I'm just teasing," he laughed, between coughs and wheezes. "Wouldn't worry my favorite secret keeper like that."


	21. ninety-nine barrels of (alcoholic) grape juice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 21: Chores

"Ninety-nine barrels of wine on the wall~" rang Claude's voice, as he strummed on his broom like a lute.

Lysithea poked him with her mop. "Stop being childish, Claude. We have chores to do."

"Aw, come on, we're almost done," he said. "Why can't we have some fun rest of the way?"

"Because it's inefficient and a waste of time. Now, back to work."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Momentarily, she thought he'd complied with her request, but then:

"Ninety-nine barrels of grape juice on the wall~"

"..."

"..."

"...Take one and throw it at Claude~"

A chuckle.

"Now there's ninety-eight barrels of grape juice~"


	22. greatest joyride in the world (now with couple's discount)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 22: Reminiscing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connects with day 17 piece

Khalid glanced aside from the mountain range to Lysithea, flying next to him on a black pegasus.

"Nostalgic, isn't it?" he said, swooping closer. "Reminds me of when I took you flying around Garreg Mach."

Lysithea didn't miss a beat, replying, "I remember that I almost died, yes."

"Hey, it wasn't that bad," he protested. "And it eventually helped you pass the Dark Flier exam, right?"

"If my dear husband wants to think so," she said, in that adorable feigned haughty tone of hers.

Khalid laughed and pulled on the reins, shouting,

"Race you to the destinstion!"

"Wha— oh, fine!" 


	23. to a life worth living

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 23: Promises

"If there are any promises you want me to keep," Khalid said, stroking her hand, "now's the right time to get me to make them."

A content sigh left her lips as Lysithea closed her eyes and snuggled closer to her very soon-to-be husband. 

What more could she possibly want from him, she wondered, when they were already like this— together, in love, ready for the future? 

After a while, she opened her eyes to meet his. 

"...When our time finally comes," she said, holding his face. "Promise me that we'll both close our eyes without regrets."

He smiled. 

"Promise."


	24. a perfectly formal letter about dry boring business

Dear Lysithea,

I know it's been a while since I've written— hope you can excuse me for that, it's been a busy year.

Let's keep this short and to the point, shall we?  
Over the past month, I've hired mercenaries to patrol your borders.  
Very capable bunch, those guys.   
Empire troops should bother your family significantly less now.

You know how the rest goes, so I won't bother repeating it in detail here.  
Ordelia will always be a valued member of the Alliance no matter what, remember that.   
Until next time,

Claude

P.S.: Read the first letters in each sentence.


	25. wind dancing in the east

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 25: Dancing

"Fódlan nobles have these kinds of dances, too, huh," said Claude, looking at the sword that was supplied alongside the dancer outfit. 

Lysithea scrunched her eyebrows, thinking, _There he goes again, speaking like he's not also a Fódlan noble._

"What kind of dances?" 

"Ones for the battlefield," he answered. "Lot more fun than the stuffy ballroom dances, I'd say."

Claude swung the blade, spinning around with precise and— elegance, almost, before winking (winking!) at her.

"Try not to get distracted by my charm on the battlefield from here on, hm?"

She glanced aside to mumble, "Yes, yes, you're hilarious, Claude."


	26. husband jacket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 26: Jacket

"I'm back, Ly— oh."

Khalid nearly dropped the bag of items from the market upon spotting Lysithea, curled up by the fireplace with a book—

—wearing his old jacket. 

It was far too large on her, with sleeves going past her hands, shoulder seams sliding around the middle of her upper arm, and the scarf wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl. 

"Welcome back," she said, running over for a hug, the sleeves flopping. "Hope you don't mind that I took your jacket. It was cold."

"...Not at all," he replied, kissing her forehead. "In fact, you can keep it."


	27. pine forest, pine tea, fine husband

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 27: In nature

"More pine cones, please," Lysithea said, poking the fire with a branch. 

"Got it."

Khalid threw several cones into the flames; but that still wasn't enough, so Lysithea casted wind magic at the campfire.

"There."

A few minutes later, they poured a kettle of warm pine tea into their cups. Lysithea took a sip and sighed, leaning against her husband. 

"You know," Khalid said, "I used to think that you didn't like outdoors activities like these."

A happy giggle escaped her lips. 

"As long as it's with you, I think I can bring myself to like just about any activity."


	28. of relief and joy

The first time he'd truly cried in front of her, with tears rolling down his face, was when he saw her open her eyes again being cured. 

The second time was at their wedding, where it was difficult to tell whether he was sobbing or laughing. 

And the third time—

"Is she— is Lysithea alright?" he asked, bursting into the room.

A sigh, with equal parts exasperation and love, came from the bed. 

"I'm fine, Khalid," Lysithea smiled. "You're a father now, so please do start acting more mature."

He remembered to wipe the tears before holding their newborn twins.


	29. the brave king and the fortunate scholar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 29: Books/stories

The twins' favorite bedtime story, the one they begged to hear almost every night, began like this:

"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away..."

The parents alternated narrating, voices rising and falling as the children's eyelids grew heavier. 

"...he whisked her away, across the sea," the father finished, voice low and calm.

Two yawns.

"What happened to them after that...?"

The parents exchanged a glance, then a small giggle.

"Nobody knows for sure," the mother whispered, as the twins dozed off. "But I heard rumors that they're living happily ever after, telling bedtime stories to their kids."


	30. until, still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 30: Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connects with day 23 and 28.

The ceremony wasn't grand, but their families and friends were all there; it felt right, like a warm quilt of all the things and places they'd called home. 

Khalid swore he wasn't crying, but when she gave him a surprise kiss on the cheek after he pushed her veil back, it was slightly wet. 

"Until both of our hairs are white and I still tease you for being childish," he joked, sliding the ring onto her finger. 

Lysithea laughed, feeling no need to maintain her usual front. 

"Until we're both old and wrinkled and still bantering over books at night."


	31. hello, again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 31: Future

"Do you think this is the future those two dreamt of?"

The girl next to him jolted in surprise.

"What?"

He motioned towards the mural, then the journals displayed in glass cases underneath. 

"You know, that king and the scholar," he said. "I wonder what they'd think, if they could see the world now."

"I think they'd mostly be confused," the girl replied, then squinted at him in an oddly familiar manner. "But why are you asking me this? Do I know you?"

He paused. 

"You can, if you're willing to go grab a cup of apple tea with me."


End file.
